


Writober meets IDOLiSH7

by Raigan



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Hoshimeguri spoilers (CH17), Part 3 spoilers (CH19), Part 4 spoilers (CH6), crossover: Ouran High School Host Club (CH21), implied character death (CH17)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-11-09 05:49:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 8,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20848535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raigan/pseuds/Raigan
Summary: A crossover between an IDOLiSH7 prompt list and a writober prompt list. Consists of short, unrelated stories. Mostly humour but not exclusively.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This will be my attempt at a crossover between an [IDOLiSH7 prompt list](https://twitter.com/tripcreates/status/1173259695886426117) by @tripcreates, and a [writing prompt list](https://twitter.com/fawnina/status/1177735251487051777) by @fawnina! I only have a few plans so I honestly don't know whether I can come up with a story for each day buuut the only way to know is to give it a shot, right? I will take liberties with the interpretation of certain prompts (such as the first i7 one), and I'll likely keep to very short, separate stories. That way I might, you know, actually finish one for each day.
> 
> Adding characters, tags, and possibly warnings along the way when necessary.
> 
> Starting with Sougo!

**1\. A story involving a crow / Reunion**__  
  
_reunion: an instance of two or more people coming together again after a period of separation._  
  
Sougo had visited this particular park every now and then ever since he was a child. Granted, he hadn’t been able to come quite that often as of late – but it never ceased to feel like home.  
  
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”  
  
Sougo wasn’t expecting an answer, really, but it was a habit of his to ask anyway. He hadn’t seen his friend for a long time, so it was only appropriate. They’d become friends – or at least that’s what Sougo liked to call them – when they were much younger, meeting by chance one day. They’d attempt to have a conversation whenever they met. Perhaps play around a bit. Sit in silence on a warm summer day. Although the time they had spent together had been limited, Sougo had grown strangely fond of it. But today, he feared that his friend might be gone for good.  
  
That is, until a familiar corvid descended on the fence next to him, carefully studying his face before letting out a gentle caw in greeting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And today's characters are... Re:vale!

**2\. A story that includes a silver object / Fashion**  
  
“How do I look, Yuki?”  
  
Yuki, previously busy spacing out, was snapped back to reality by the question. He’d been recruited by Momo to help him choose some new clothes. So far the day had been quite uneventful, but the outfit Momo was currently wearing was definitely… something else.  
  
Honestly, the dotted sky blue crop top could’ve looked quite fashion-forward on someone. On someone who wasn’t largely covering the cleavage hole – yes, the top had one – with a comically large silver necklace that, appropriately, spelled out the word _Silver_ in a hard-to-read font. And perhaps on someone who wasn’t wearing yellow jeans with a bright orange fringe running down the sides.  
  
“That’s…” Yuki started, but the rest of his words were largely muffled by his hand.  
  
“What? What is it, darling?”  
  
“Ahahahahahaha!” Yuki suddenly burst out laughing so hard that a nearby staff member jumped.  
  
“Eeh, that’s rude, Yuki! What’s so funny!”  
  
“Momo, you sure… have a look going on there…” Yuki wheezed, trying to catch his breath while wiping tears from his eyes. “Not quite what I expected…”  
  
“Hmm, is that so? Maybe I’ll skip this one then, if it’s that far out there,” Momo said, squinting at the clothes. “I’ll go get changed and then we can go.”  
  
“Sorry I wasn’t of much help, Momo,” Yuki replied, trying to hold the remains of his amusement to himself but failing quite miserably if the poorly masked smile on his face was any indication.  
  
“That’s alright, Yuki, we can come back another time!”  
  
Momo stole one more glance at Yuki – now back to muffled laughter since he thought Momo wasn’t looking anymore – before entering the fitting room. He would’ve lied if he said that he was disappointed to leave without any new clothes. It wasn’t them he’d been actually looking for, after all – it was Yuki’s smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to [DaMidnighter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaMidnighter/) for brainstorming Momo's clothes with me!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3, starring both Yuki and ZOOL in their own, completely unrelated stories! I came up with the ZOOL idea before learning that Demon Kaleidoscope is actually the name of the upcoming youkai story and not, you know, a literal demon kaleidoscope. But I liked my original idea so I decided to write that one out as well.
> 
> As for the actual Demonic Kaleidoscope, I wrote it before realizing that we now have a list of the kuji prizes, including the exact types of the youkai. I expected Yuki to be a daitengu rather than a karasutengu, so he might turn out to be quite different in the actual story. I'm no expert on youkai, though, so my image of tengu and the differences of the two are based on a very limited amount of information. And, well, it's not like we know about the characters' personalities yet.
> 
> Anyway, onward to the stories!

**3.1. A story about a tranquil place / Demon Kaleidoscope**  
  
A soft breeze pierced the mountains as Yuki slowly made his way through the ever-thinning forest. The colours of autumn were at their finest, offering him an exquisite view of the smaller mountains surrounding his. The solitude around him was more invigorating than ever.  
  
Yuki sat down to fully appreciate the landscape. Beyond the hills covered in all the shades of yellow and red, he could catch a glimpse of the ocean. The vibrant blue merged seamlessly into the bright blue sky. A few small, pure white clouds enhanced the depth of infinity. At night, the tengu would gaze at the stars, completely losing himself in the absolute darkness illuminated only by the stars and the bright, bright moon.  
  
Yuki truly, hopelessly, loved his mountain.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
**3.2. A story about a tranquil place / demon kaleidoscope (now in a more literal sense)**  
  
Minami was sitting by his desk, gazing outside. It was a calm afternoon as usual. The brisk weather had called for a steaming cup of tea, held steadily in Minami’s hands as he watched the occasional passerby pull their scarf higher. A quiet, comfortable winter day.  
  
That is…  
  
“Ooh, a kaleidoscope? Who would’ve thought that Mina would have such a toy just lying around— GYAAAAAAAAH!!!”  
  
… how it would have usually been, anyway.  
  
“T-t-t-there’s a demon in the kaleidoscope?!” Touma stuttered, the hand holding the toy shaking. “What the hell is this thing?!”  
  
“A demon? As if,” Haruka said. “It’s just a toy, dumbass. All you can see is a pretty pattern—“ A short shriek was followed by a soft thud as the kaleidoscope fell on the carpet. Haruka stared at it, frozen in place.  
  
“Oh come on, it can’t possibly be _that_ scary. The two of you are such wimps—AAAAAAH!!” Judging by Torao’s reaction, he regretted taking a look himself. Minami regretted having guests over in the first place. He sighed, standing up to snatch the toy from Torao’s grip. He was still staring into the kaleidoscope, eyes wide from shock.  
  
“It’s merely a prop from one of my films. Nothing to be frightened of,” Minami said, returning the item to its original place.  
  
“Ah, is that… is that so…” Touma began in a timid voice. “Yeah, of course that would be it… Hahaha…”  
  
“Oh yeah, that’s right, you’ve starred in horror films… That’s funny… Hahaha…”  
  
“Right… Nothing to be afraid of, hahaha…”  
  
All three of them sat as far as possible from the kaleidoscope for the rest of their visit.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enter Gaku! And the majority of i7.

**4\. A story about learning to fly / Favourite leader**  
  
“Watch this, Rikkun!”  
  
Tamaki leapt from the sofa, almost hitting his head on the roof and then nearly knocking over a potted plant as he landed.  
  
“See? Told ya I could fly!”  
  
“Hahaha! That looks like fun, I want to learn how to fly too!”  
  
“Right?! Just stand here and…”  
  
“Yotsuba-san, please stop jumping off the sofa, you’ll break something. And Nanase-san, don’t go along with him, you’ll get an attack!”  
  
“Boo, you’re no fun, Iorin!” Tamaki said, sticking out his tongue.  
  
“Yeah, Iori! Don’t kill the mood!”  
  
“Play nice, kids!” Mitsuki chimed in from the kitchen. He was prepping ingredients for dinner. They’d invited TRIGGER over a few days earlier, and Re:vale had invited themselves over before anyone could ask them. Most were still out either on shopping duty or work.  
  
“They sure are lively today, huh?” Mitsuki grinned as the situation threatened to escalate into a 2-on-1 pillow fight.  
  
“Yeah, they sure are. It’s a good thing Tenn didn’t get here yet, he’d throw a hissy fit over Riku jumping around like that,” Gaku replied.  
  
“Yeah, he probably would. Hey, Iori, try to keep up!”  
  
“Nii-san, please don’t encourage themph!”  
  
“Ha, serves you right! Eat a pillow!”  
  
Tamaki and Riku wouldn’t have been laughing if they knew that in about two minutes, Sougo would return home and have them sit on the floor in shame. But Gaku wasn’t paying attention to the squabble anymore.  
  
_“Go on, Gaku, take a leap!”_  
  
_ “But it’s so high, mum!”_  
  
_ “Don’t worry, I’ll catch you! I promise.”_  
  
_ After a moment of hesitation, Gaku leapt off the rock – actually lower than her mother was tall, yet still scarily high for a child. He landed on her arms with a squeal. Once he confirmed he’d made it, he started laughing._  
  
_ “You’re right, mum, I can fly!”_  
  
_ “Told you so!” she grinned._  
  
“Yaotome?”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
Gaku blinked. Mitsuki looked concerned.  
  
“Is something wrong?” Gaku blinked again at the question.  
  
“Ah, no… Watching them ‘fly’ just reminded me of something that happened a long time ago,” he answered, his tone slightly amused.  
  
“Is that so? Tell me about it later,” Mitsuki said. “But for now, could you hand me that spatula?”  
  
“Oh, sure. Let me know if I can help you with anything else.”  
  
“Thanks, I will.”  
  
Gaku watched Mitsuki mix the ingredients in silence for a moment before turning his head back to the unruly bunch. Apparently Riku had successfully jumped off the sofa without breaking anything in the process. Tamaki was celebrating their victory while Iori continued to lecture the two in vain. Observing the trio’s continuing antics, Gaku smiled gently and closed his eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today, Tenn embarks on a little journey and bumps into someone familiar.

**5\. A story of an instrument that only certain people can hear / Zodiac**  
  
“Can you hear that?”  
  
“Hear what?”  
  
“That music?”  
  
“Coming from the festival? Yeah, I’m not deaf. What, you think I’m _that_ old?”  
  
“No, not _that_. That music from somewhere farther away… A different kind of instrument…”  
  
“…”  
  
“…”  
  
“I can’t hear a thing. Can you, Ryuu?”  
  
“No, I don’t hear anything.”  
  
“Hear that, Tenn? Sure you’re not just imagining it?”  
  
“No, I’m not! … I’ll go take a look.”  
  
“Now?! Fine, just make sure you’ll be back in time.”  
  
“Don’t worry, Gaku, I will.”  
  
Tenn made his way through the festival. It was the beginning of a new year, and TRIGGER was one of the performers of the day. Tenn had left the mask and the fur of his Zodiac-themed costume to Gaku and Ryuu in order to blend into the traditionally dressed crowd better. On a normal day it would’ve been difficult to walk around unnoticed but today, the people were far too many and far too occupied by the bustle of the festival to pay all that much attention to him. Tenn looked around to examine the various foods and games as he walked by numerous stalls. The music seemed to come from outside the festival area, though, so he eventually made his way out of the crowd.  
  
“Somewhere around here— Ah!”  
  
Tenn didn’t have time to react to the person fast approaching from his left before they’d already collided.  
  
“I’m sorry, are you hurt— … Yuki-san?”  
  
“Oh, Tenn-kun. I didn’t see you there.”  
  
Yuki was looking at Tenn from under his cow-patterned hood.  
  
“What brings you here? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for the performance?”  
  
“I could ask you the same.”  
  
Yuki laughed. “Touché. I heard some interesting music so I came to take a closer look.”  
  
“… You can hear it as well?”  
  
“Yes, of course. Momo didn’t seem to quite catch it, though.”  
  
“Neither did Gaku nor Ryuu.”  
  
“Oh, that’s… curious.”  
  
The two of them looked into the direction of the sound and then back to each other. They couldn’t help the strange feeling that it was calling out to them.  
  
“Shall we?”  
  
“Let’s.”  
  
They resumed their journey in silence. In the end, they were unable to locate the source of the music – they didn’t have much time to search for it to begin with. But still, the tune remained in their hearts as they returned to the hustle of the festival.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Part 4 spoilers!** This story takes place an unspecified amount of time after Chapter 15 of Part 4. Starring Nagi and Mitsuki.

**6\. A story in which someone receives a letter / Northmeir**  
  
_Dear Nagi,_  
  
_ I hope this letter reaches you in good health._  
  
_ How have you been? How is Northmeir?_  
  
_ Everyone here misses you. We hope you’ll be back soon._  
  
_ You will be back, won’t you?_  
  
_ Right, Nagi?_  
  
_ Please tell me you’ll be back soon._  
  
The letter was without signature, unfinished. Unsent. It seemed like the writer’s hand had been increasingly trembling. Parts of the letter had been smeared – most likely with tears.  
  
Nagi hadn’t meant to read the letter, really. Mitsuki hadn’t been in his room when he came looking for him, so he’d waited. He’d been browsing some new books on the shelf when the letter had suddenly fallen on the floor. He was going to put it right back, but seeing his own name had caught his attention and before he knew it...  
  
“Nagi? Are you alright?”  
  
“Mitsuki…”  
  
Mitsuki entered the room and closed the door.  
  
“What’s wrong, Nagi? Why are you crying?”  
  
“I’m not… … Oh.”  
  
Nagi realized he _was_ crying.  
  
“I…”  
  
“What’s that?”  
  
Mitsuki snatched the letter out of Nagi’s hand before he could answer.  
  
“Where did you get this?” he said after a moment of silence, eyes never leaving the letter. His voice was unintentionally harsh.  
  
“It fell from the shelf when I was looking at your new books… I saw my name and… I’m sorry, Mitsuki,” Nagi said quietly. “I shouldn’t have read it without your permission.”  
  
“You’re right, you shouldn’t have,” Mitsuki replied, sternly facing Nagi. They stared at each other for a moment. “But…” His eyes softened as he looked back at the letter. “… I understand why you’d be curious.”  
  
“Mitsuki…”  
  
They stood in silence for a good while until Mitsuki finally spoke, still looking at the letter.  
  
“I wrote this not long after we learnt where you’d gone,” he started. “I thought I’d have to contact you somehow at least but, well, it’s not like I would’ve known where to send it anyway… And I guess looking back, I didn’t need for you to read it as much as I needed to write it.” Mitsuki’s voice was starting to tremble. He tried to shake it off with a laugh. “Yet I still couldn’t even finish writing it. That’s pretty sad.”  
  
“Mitsuki… You’re right, it is sad.” Nagi made sure to speak quickly since Mitsuki was already opening his mouth in anger. “It’s sad that what I did caused you so much pain. Mitsuki…” Nagi’s voice cracked. “I’m sorry.”  
  
“Nagi…” Mitsuki was trying to hold back his tears in vain. His eyes were wet as he continued. “I missed you so much.”  
  
“I know, Mitsuki. I missed you too.”  
  
Nagi pulled Mitsuki, now openly sobbing, closer and wrapped his arms around him. Tears were rolling down his face. But it was alright now. He was back, and he’d never leave his friends again. Ever.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today, MEZZO'' meets someone - or something - unexpected.

**7\. A story about an enchanted clock / Monpare**   
  
“Huh, is that…”  
  
Sougo stopped dead in his tracks, looking into a small alleyway.  
  
“Huh? What’s up, Sou-chan?”  
  
“There seems to be an old clock just sitting there…”  
  
“Hmm?” Tamaki looked into the alleyway as well. “Huh, you’re right. That’s kinda weird. Let’s take a look?”  
  
“Mm, sure.”  
  
They approached the clock. Once they reached it…  
  
“Did it just… move?”  
  
“It… must’ve been our imagination.”  
  
“Yeah…”  
  
“I’ll try picking it up.”  
  
“Alright.”  
  
“…”  
  
“…”  
  
“It looks like like a regular old clock.”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Then it really must’ve been… Ah?!”  
  
“What was that, Sou-chan?!”  
  
“Something… fluffy…”  
  
“Fluffy…?”  
  
“Yes…”  
  
“Sosososo!”  
  
“?!”  
  
Sougo and Tamaki turned around. On the ground, there were two small and fluffy… somethings.  
  
“Tatatata!”  
  
And they seemed to be talking.  
  
“Hey, Sou-chan… did I fall asleep again…?”  
  
“I… I wish I could say you did…”  
  
All of a sudden, the fluffballs approaced them. Fast.  
  
“Wha—?!”  
  
“Sou-chan, what’s—“  
  
_Poof!  
  
_“… ?!”  
  
“Tamaki-kun, you look… different.”  
  
“Yeah… So do you, Sou-chan…”  
  
_“Can you understand us now?”_  
  
“What the— Someone’s talking in my head!!”  
  
_“Don’t be alarmed. It’s us, the Cottons.”_  
  
“The… Cottons?”  
  
_“Yes. We’ve met before, haven’t we?”_  
  
“Think I’d remember that…”  
  
_“Oh dear… Could it be that the warp jump wasn’t just spacial but dimensional as well?”  
  
“Maybe.”  
  
_“Umm… What are you talking about, if I may ask?”  
  
“And more importantly, what the hell did you do to us?!”  
  
_“Relax, it’s just a temporary fusion. One of our inventions went wrong and transported us here. We were separated from our friends in the process. If you help us find them, we’ll be able to change you back to normal.”_  
  
“You’ve gotta be kidding me… This has to be a dream.”  
  
“This is definitely quite… unreal.”  
  
“Maybe if we’ll just go along with them we’ll wake up?”  
  
“Maybe… I suppose there isn’t much else we can do about it right now.”  
  
_“Great! It’s a deal then. Let’s go!”_  
  
“Where?”  
  
_“We don’t know!”  
  
_“What?!”  
  
_“If we’re lucky, maybe our friends ended up somewhere around your friends. Let’s start there.”_  
  
“That sounds fishy… But fine, I guess that’s a start.”  
  
“Shall we go then, Tamaki-kun?”  
  
“Yeah, let’s go.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER's travel adventures!

**8\. A story that takes place on a shoreline / Travel**  
  
Early March. Not quite the prime time to visit Okinawa but since TRIGGER was able to take a short holiday for the first time in a while, Gaku and Tenn had suggested that they go to Naha. To take a better look at the island outside of work, they’d said – but Ryuu had the feeling that their primary motive was to give him a chance to visit his home.  
  
“Sorry that we didn’t get to see any whales, guys.”  
  
“That’s alright, Ryuu. We can come back another time.”  
  
“Yeah, it’s not like we can tell them to appear whenever we want them to.”  
  
The three of them were sitting on a beach at a walking distance from central Naha. It was a quiet day; the swimming season hadn’t begun yet. There was a steep cliff to the left. Other than that, the beach was largely surrounded by buildings, and there was a bridge close off the shore. But from under the bridge, you could see the horizon of the tropical sea. For such a centrally located beach, it was quite calming.  
  
“It sure is a beautiful day.”  
  
“Yeah, it is.”  
  
“What should we eat today? Taco rice?”  
  
“We’re in such a pretty place and all you can think about is food, Gaku?”  
  
“What, it’s almost lunchtime.”  
  
Ryuu laughed. “Sure, we can have taco rice today. I know a place.”  
  
“Do they serve bitter melon juice to match Tenn’s personality?”  
  
“Hey!”  
  
Tenn might’ve acted offended for a moment, but he couldn’t help but laugh along with Gaku and Ryuu. Together, they headed off the beach to their next destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This heavily relies on my limited experience of Okinawa. I went in March because I doubt I'd do well there in summer, lol.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sougo's solo adventures continue!

**9\. A story of a crowded room that is empty / Flowers**  
  
Sougo stood in the doorway of a peculiar room. The room itself was empty. It had a nice, dark mahogany floor, and a pure white ceiling with a grand chandelier. But the walls… they were something else.  
  
The walls were covered in a seemingly infinite number of small paintings against a pale grey background. They all depicted flowers. They ranged from roses and strelitzias to daisies and dandelions, and to many Sougo couldn’t even name. But despite the vast variety of shapes and colours, the room had a very soothing – if busy – atmosphere. Sougo quite liked it.  
  
Eventually, he stepped into the room to take a closer look at some of the flowers. There would’ve hardly been time to examine them all one by one even if he’d been in the art museum for a whole day. There was the forget-me-not and the lily. The tulip and the lupine. The hydrangea and the cherry. Something new wherever he looked.  
  
“Sougo, we’re going!”  
  
“Ah… I’m coming!”  
  
Reluctantly, Sougo turned his back to the walls to catch up with his entourage. At the door, he took one more look at the room before finally leaving it behind him.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand today we have Riku challenging Sweets Paradise!

**10\. A story that teaches a lesson / Chinana**  
  
It was a lively evening at Sweets Paradise. IDOLiSH7, TRIGGER, Re:vale, and ZOOL as well as their managers and company presidents had been invited to the restaurant to celebrate the upcoming Chinana collaboration menu. Everyone was having a blast eating and mingling in the crowd – for the most part, at least, but they were determined to have a fun night.  
  
At the moment, however, Riku was standing in front of the dessert buffet, intensely staring at something.  
  
“Rikkun, what are you doing?”  
  
Riku turned to look at Tamaki – who had apparently smuggled in an ousama pudding since he was eating one. Riku didn’t pay it any attention, though.  
  
“I… want to eat the cake,” he said, a hint of hesitation in his voice.  
  
“That’s it? Just grab a piece then.”  
  
“No, not a piece.” Riku turned to look back at the strawberry cake. “The whole cake.”  
  
“The… whole cake?”  
  
“Yeah! I’ve always wanted to do that… but my parents never allowed me.”  
  
“Then do it.” Tamaki grabbed the cake and offered it to Riku.  
  
“But won’t it be rude? What if someone else wants to eat it as well?”  
  
“It’s a buffet, they’ll make a new one.”  
  
“Yeah… I guess… Yeah!”  
  
Riku took the cake from Tamaki and returned to the table, determination flashing in his eyes. He somehow managed to get halfway through the cake before Tenn and Iori were alerted to the situation by Tamaki’s cheering. By then, it was too late to stop him – especially since Nagi and Momo joined the cheering squad – so they eventually admitted defeat and let out a deep sigh. Riku felt as victorious as ever.  
  
Half a cake later, he had a whole new understanding of the saying “you reap what you sow”.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tenn and Sougo enjoy a cup of tea in the morning.

**11\. A story involving hot tea on a brisk morning / Pajama party**  
  
Tenn sat in the kitchen area of IDOLiSH7’s dorm. The two groups were working on a joint project and somehow, they’d ended up planning it over a pajama party. Tenn wasn’t quite sure how that had happened, but it worked surprisingly well – not that the planning had taken all night, but the afterparty had lasted for a good while. Such a good while that some of the more alcohol-oriented members of the groups had passed out on the living room floor.  
  
It was a bit of a chilly morning, so Tenn had taken the liberty to seize a blanket and to whip up some hot tea. He was enjoying the serene morning as Sougo entered the room.  
  
“Ah…! Good morning, Kujou-san,” he nervously greeted.  
  
“Good morning.”  
  
Sougo shifted in place, suddenly uncertain what to do.  
  
“There’s still tea left if you’d like some.”  
  
“Oh…! I-if it’s alright, then…”  
  
“But of course,” Tenn smiled.  
  
Sougo sat down on the other side of the table and poured himself a cup. For a while, the two of them sat quietly.  
  
“I’m surprised to see you up so early,” Tenn eventually spoke.  
  
“Is that so? It’s quite normal for me.”  
  
“I assumed as much. But you were rather drunk last night, so I imagined you’d be feeling a bit under the weather.”  
  
Sougo laughed awkwardly. “I can’t drink that much, so I suppose I fall asleep and recover more easily…”  
  
“Yes, that might be it.”  
  
Another moment of silence until Sougo mustered up the courage to ask…  
  
“I didn’t do anything… unsightly, I hope?”  
  
“Hmm…” Tenn thought about it for a second. “Nothing surprising based on what I’ve heard, but you might want to delete a few photos on Nikaido Yamato’s phone.” He pointed at the phone which Yamato had conveniently forgotten on the table.  
  
“… Thank you, I’ll look into it.” Sougo quietly pocketed the phone. He wasn’t ready to see what was in there in front of Tenn.  
  
“Also…”  
  
“Y-yes?”  
  
“Feel free to call me Tenn-kun while sober as well,” Tenn said and smiled. “It’s quite cute.”  
  
Sougo would consider it once his ability to talk returned.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, Ryuu!

**12\. A story set in the wilderness / Ryuu’s birthday**  
  
“Happy birthday, Ryuu.”  
  
“Happy birthday!”  
  
“Thanks, guys.”  
  
Tenn, Gaku, and Ryuu were sitting in a small coffee shop in a peaceful neighbourhood. Since Ryuu enjoyed being outdoors, they’d set out to go hiking on his birthday. They’d chosen a fairly quiet mountain; as such, they’d only come across a few friendly locals on their way up.  
  
That’s where their luck had ended, though.  
  
In the middle of the usual banter, Gaku had forgotten to watch his step and tripped. He wasn’t hurt, fortunately, so it would’ve been alright – if his backpack hadn’t fallen and most of their water bottles broken in the process. They weren’t that far from the summit, though, so they kept on going.  
  
Before they could reach the summit, however, they came across a black bear. They managed to back away slowly, unscathed, but the bear followed them for a while so they had to leave their snacks behind to give it something else to think of. Obviously, they could no longer reach the summit and have a fun birthday picnic.  
  
So they started their walk back. Unfortunately, the day was warmer than they’d anticipated which meant that their remaining water didn’t last all that long. Tenn barely drank any because he insisted that he was alright, that Gaku and Ryuu should share it by themselves. Gaku later graphically described how they should’ve forced the water down Tenn’s throat earlier because he had started to feel quite dizzy. Ryuu had to carry him the rest of the way.  
  
They’d finally made it to the café. Once they’d determined that Tenn had been adequately rehydrated, they proceeded to order some soup for lunch and then a few slices of cake to make up for the birthday cake that they’d had to leave behind on the mountain.  
  
“I’m sorry that your birthday didn’t turn out quite as expected, Ryuu,” Tenn said. “Although it was mostly Gaku’s fault.”  
  
“Huh?! Come again, you dehydrated brat?!”  
  
“If you hadn’t tripped and fallen, we wouldn’t have been without water.”  
  
“We weren’t without water, you were just too stubborn to drink any of it!”  
  
“You needed it more than I did.”  
  
“The hell we did, you don’t have even half of our stamina—“  
  
“Which is why my body can survive on less than yours—“  
  
Ryuu watched the two of them bicker, too tired to be the referee this time. And, strangely enough, too content. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Despite all the troubles they’d gone through earlier, sitting in the café with his two best friends who were now laughing right after their spat... To Ryuu, it was a birthday worth remembering.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shuffle unit shenanigans with Pythagoras Trio and Gaku.

**13\. A story in which old cobwebs are removed / Shuffle**  
  
Mitsuki, Nagi, Yamato, and Gaku were taking a break from their shuffle unit practice. They’d recently discovered an old storage room in the basement and had decided to put their time to good use by exploring the space. Or at least that was the official explanation – they were actually just curious to take a peek. And what an adventure it had been, with Nagi practically using Yamato and Gaku as human shields while Mitsuki was bravely battling cobwebs.  
  
Mitsuki blew the dust off of a small box they’d discovered. The box belonged to Uno, a card game they were all more or less familiar with from their childhoods. After they were finished with their practice, they sat down to play a few rounds while waiting for the other units to be done for the day.  
  
It soon became evident that there was simply no beating Nagi at this game. Just as Mitsuki thought he had the upper hand for once, he was struck by a Draw 4 card. Gaku was left waiting thanks to a Reverse. A Skip rendered Yamato unable to play his final card. Nagi won once more.  
  
“Oi, Rokuya, how the hell do you keep winning every time?!”  
  
“Because I have the blessing of Cocona on my side!”  
  
The three of them promptly ignored Nagi for the rest of the final round while he acted out the latest Cocona episode by himself.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A wild Kinako appears?!
> 
> Wouldn't recommend taking this one too seriously, lol.

**14\. A story of a familiar who is always busy / Bright Illumination**  
  
Kinako was a busy little creature. Most of people didn’t notice, but it worked hard on a daily basis. Looking cute and seemingly doing nothing? Actually keeping a close eye on people, analysing their talents and judging their character. Jumping around without purpose? Picking up fallen items, for the most part. Sometimes preparing to bite. Approaching humans? Depends on how Kinako has judged you; if it thinks you’re a bad person, it’s better to run.  
  
Today, Kinako was helping the idol groups to prepare lighting for one of their joint photoshoots. It hopped up and down a tree, from one tree to another to set up decorative lights. Everyone else was too busy minding their own business to really notice the fluffy creature hard at work. Kinako considered charging at them at full speed because honestly, their “minding their own business” mostly seemed as if they were making a mess instead of working. Sometimes Kinako felt as if it had the only functioning brain in their company. But it continued its work with no complaints.  
  
In the evening, it was time for the photoshoot. Kinako admired its work safely from Otoharu’s arms. For all the menacing thoughts it had at times, it was ultimately glad that it was able to help its friends, and that they all had fun.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yamato's day off.

**15\. A story about someone uninteresting / Day off**  
  
Nikaido Yamato wasn’t the most interesting person on his days off. He often spent them resting, recovering from celebrating said day off the previous night, having a beer here and another there. Shooing off his fellow idols when they tried to get him to contribute to the day, or simply being too sound asleep to even hear them. Lying on the couch in a way that made one feel that he was planning on never getting up.  
  
Musashi would sometimes appear in the living room. In most cases, it ended with Yamato telling Musashi to be quiet as it got stuck on a carpet and kept beeping helplessly. If Mitsuki was cooking at the time, he’d come to Musashi’s rescue and take it back to Yamato’s room while mumbling something about a good-for-nothing owner. Other times, Riku would pick Musashi up and keep it company for a while. Iori wasn’t sure whether he should take a photo of the sight or roll his eyes at the nonsense. Or both.  
  
Eventually, Yamato would get up and return to his room after being forced to down a meal by Mitsuki. Another successfully uneventful day had passed.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER is back!

**16\. A story that begins with a dance / Favourite outfit**  
  
Dress rehearsal. It was the first time TRIGGER was practicing their new song, Heavenly Visitor, with the respective stage costumes. Tenn danced to the rhythm, admiring the flow of the outfit which accentuated his movements at all the right moments. Clothing didn’t create stage presence on its own – but it was an essential part of it. Thus, Tenn was delighted whenever he was given a particularly successful creation.  
  
“How was it, Gaku? Ryuu?”  
  
“Fits the song really well.”  
  
“Yeah, they have a kind of a… regal feel to them.”  
  
“Right? I thought so as well.”  
  
“So… ready for the real deal, then?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Yeah!”  
  
“Alright, let’s move on to the next song.”  
  
Tenn carefully studied the design of the clothes while taking them off to change into his next costume. The cords, the frills, the gems… They created a visually pleasing ensemble that would look great under stage lights. He couldn’t wait to debut it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tenn's Heavenly Visitor design is amazing. I love.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Hoshimeguri no Kansokusha spoilers!** Basically a sad alternative ending.

**17\. A story that only one person survives / Anniversary**  
  
Curse roamed the empty land. It had been a year since the shards of the star gem had been reunited and the planets had become one again. A world without conflict. It had been realized.  
  
But what Carnelian perhaps hadn’t realized was that a world without conflict… was a world without people.  
  
Curse had searched. Searched and searched and searched. Over and over again. But there were no signs of people anywhere on the planet. He cursed himself for having been unable to stop it. No matter how hard he had tried, he had been unable to break the gem back into shards.  
  
He wasn’t sure how the people had vanished, he’d been so far away at the time. All he knew was that when he was able to finally return, they weren’t there. Hope wasn’t there.  
  
He never knew that a year could feel like an eternity.  
  
All he could do was to continue his search. Hope that perhaps one day, the stars would forgive them, or that he could find a way to rebel against the gem.  
  
Hope was all that he had.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tenn and Riku spend their birthday together.

**18\. A story that is not fictional / Sweets**  
  
Tenn and Riku had decided to spend their birthday in an amusement park. It hadn’t been easy to convince Tenn, but he had eventually caved – he was quite defenceless against Riku’s heartfelt requests, after all. Tenn had demanded that they wear proper disguises, though,so they were doing their best to hide under their hats, glasses, and masks without looking too suspicious.  
  
While touring the park, Tenn and Riku had spotted a café with particularly over-the-top milkshakes. Ice cream, whipped cream, marshmallows and various other types of candy, even a donut… They just had to try them. Riku had ordered a strawberry-flavoured shake while Tenn opted for a light blue and pink unicorn shake. Riku destroyed his at a remarkable speed while Tenn – although capable of such a feat himself – took it slower. Riku ended up sampling his brother’s portion once he was done with his own. Tenn laughed at him.  
  
The two of them eventually parted ways after the fun day. Although they didn’t say it out loud, they couldn’t wait for the next time they’d be able to spend time together like this. They might’ve led different lives now, but they enjoyed each other’s company just as much as they used to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is loosely based on me and my friend's trip to an amusement park. Those shakes were over the top, alright.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Includes a Part 3 spoiler!** Tenn is on the move again.

**19\. A story about a hidden stairway / Your oshi**  
  
Tenn was returning home from the filming of a variety show. It hadn’t been long since he and Gaku had moved into Ryuu’s apartment, so it still felt a bit strange to call it his home – but even with all its challenges, he quite enjoyed the arrangement so far.  
  
Tenn was particularly tired, so he wasn’t paying much attention to his movements. It wasn’t until he arrived at the apartment that he realised that he actually wasn’t at Ryuu’s door.  
  
He was looking into a stairway.  
  
Tenn blinked and looked around him. Everything else seemed normal; he figured he must’ve entered the wrong corridor. And for whatever reason, this corridor had a staircase behind a door that seemingly belonged to a regular apartment.  
  
Tenn stared into the stairway for a moment. It was dark, so he couldn’t tell where it led. As curious as he was, he decided that he was far too tired to star in the next horror film right now. Perhaps he’d be back later… with backup and a metal bat.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today in Tamaki and Iori's shenanigans...

**20\. A story of something broken being remade / Broadway**  
  
“Iorin, watch out!!”  
  
Iori ducked at the last second to avoid being hit by a stage prop that came flying towards his face. It hit the wall and broke into what seemed like a million pieces.  
  
“Yotsuba-san?! What was that?!”  
  
“Uh, I’m not sure… It’s one of the machine-thingies for the shoot.”  
  
“And you sent it flying because?!”  
  
“It started making a weird noise and got kinda smokey… I thought it was gonna blow up or something…”  
  
“So you threw it at _me_?!”  
  
“I didn’t mean to, I wasn’t aiming… Sorry, Iorin.”  
  
Iori sighed. “What’s done is done. Help me fix it before someone notices.”  
  
“Alright.”  
  
Iori and Tamaki started gathering the pieces of the machine and tried to group them by part to the best of their ability. Well, at least Iori did – Tamaki didn’t quite have the eye for it the way he did. Iori worked as fast as he could, asking Tamaki to hand him pieces as he went. Before they knew it, the machine was back in one piece.  
  
“It should work now. Please don’t touch the stage props from now on, Yotsuba-san.”  
  
“Okay…”  
  
Iori and Tamaki proceeded to act like nothing happened once the rest of the crew arrived. No one ever found out about their little project.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tamaki and Yuki come across someone quite unexpected!

**21\. A story without colour / Crossover**  
  
“Rikkun? Iorin?”  
  
“Momo?”  
  
Tamaki and Yuki were making their way through darkness. IDOLiSH7 and Re:vale had been invited to visit a mall in preparation of its grand opening but unfortunately, a sudden blackout had turned the mall pitch-black. The two of them had united their forces with a couple of people they’d come across to find a more convenient spot inside the mall, but they’d soon been separated in the darkness. Tamaki and Yuki somehow managed to stick together nonetheless.  
  
Soon enough, they bumped into someone new.  
  
“Ouch! I’m sorry, I couldn’t see you in the dark,” the stranger said.  
  
“It’s alright,” Yuki replied. “Can’t say I saw you there, either. You’re lost as well?”  
  
“Yeah, I’ve been separated from my friends because of the blackout… I’m currently looking for them.”  
  
“We’re in the same boat then. I’m Yuki.”  
  
“I’m Tamaki.”  
  
“You’re Tamaki?! _I’m_ Tamaki!”  
  
“Huh?! You’re Yotsuba Tamaki, too?”  
  
“No, I’m Suoh Tamaki! From Ouran High School!”  
  
“Oh, okay! I’m Yotsuba Tamaki from IDOLiSH7.”  
  
“IDOLiSH7… That idol group?”  
  
“Yeah. Yukirin’s from Re:vale.”  
  
“Oh, Re:vale! Nice to meet you. I’m Suoh Tamaki, the president of the Ouran High School Host Club.  
  
“Nice to meet you, Tamaki-kun.”  
  
“We’ve already met though, Yukirin?”  
  
“Not you, Tamaki-kun. The new Tamaki-kun.”  
  
“Oh, right.”  
  
“What a coincidence for both of you to be here.”  
  
“We’re actually supposed to be here in secret, so… if you could keep it to yourself.”  
  
“Oh right, I’m not officially supposed to be here, either… So if you’d keep my presence to yourselves as well.”  
  
“Gotcha.”  
  
“We will.”  
  
“Should we continue our search, then?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Yes. Let’s go find a better spot.”  
  
The unlikely trio began to make their way around the mall. For a blackout, they had surprisingly much fun on their way. Afterwards, it was as if nothing had happened – after all, none of them were officially there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you think I chose Tamaki just to joke about his and Tamaki's names, you're absolutely correct.
> 
> Based on the 4th anniversary story. Won't tag Ouran as a series or Tamaki as a character since they're such a minor part of the whole writober.
> 
> Shoutout to [DaMidnighter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaMidnighter/) for helping me brainstorm a story without colour!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand the high school duo is at it again.

**22\. A story about a mirror that reflects a secret / Sanrio**  
  
Iori and Tamaki had been on their way home from school when Tamaki spotted an inflatable King Pudding armchair in the window of a furniture shop. He’d dragged Iori inside before the other had any idea what was going on. Tamaki had practically jumped up and down from excitement while examining the chair.  
  
Iori knew that Tamaki couldn’t afford the chair, so he quickly made his way deeper into the shop before the other could start pestering him for money. He came across a second-hand section and took a look at a few mirrors. One of them looked particularly old.  
  
“That’s a fine mirror. It is said to reflect a person’s desires.”  
  
Iori jumped, not having realized that the owner of the shop had appeared behind him. After he recovered from his surprise, he could be appropriately unimpressed by the information.  
  
“That doesn’t sound plausible.”  
  
“Granted, it doesn’t quite sound realistic… But nevertheless, stories are often based on reality,” the owner said and smiled. As he walked away, Iori turned back to the mirror. After a moment of hesitation, he stepped closer. All he could see was his own reflection.  
  
“See? Just a regular mirror,” he mumbled to himself. “There’s no way it could… ?!?”  
  
All of a sudden, something appeared behind Iori. Something that looked an awful lot like…  
  
… Hello Kitty?  
  
Iori could feel cold sweat forming on his forehead as he looked at the cute cat. Slowly, he turned around to see…  
  
“Hey, Iorin, do you think Mikki would like this pillow?”  
  
… Tamaki holding a Hello Kitty cushion in his hands.  
  
“I’m not sure what to buy for his birthday…”  
  
A wave of relief washed over Iori. For a moment, he had actually believed that the mirror did show more than a reflection – something he’d never admit to having thought of. For once, he couldn’t have been happier for Tamaki’s silly ideas.  
  
“You should by him something useful,” Iori replied with a serious expression. “I’ll give you some pointers. Let’s go.”  
  
“Huh? But I wanted to spend more time with the chair…”  
  
“Your birthday isn’t far away. If you really want the chair, it can be arranged.”  
  
“Really?! Thanks, Iorin!!”  
  
Iori probably wouldn’t have made such a promise under normal circumstances – but seeing Tamaki’s eyes shining in a way he’d never seen before, he could only sigh and place a reservation for the chair. As they walked out of the shop – or, in Tamaki’s case, bounced – Iori could only hope that he’d come up with a good pitch as to why they should buy Tamaki an inflatable armchair for his birthday.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a Pythagoras Trio day!

**23\. A story in which something is stolen / Mythology**  
  
“Kalevala?”  
  
“Yes!” Nagi exclaimed. “It’s the national epic of Finland. Battles and plunder, love and revenge! Exciting!”  
  
“It looks… quite hard to read,” Yamato said, squinting at the text. “The form is kinda weird.”  
  
“It’s poetry! Written in Kalevala metre!”  
  
“That… doesn’t really say much to me,” Mitsuki replied.  
  
“Me neither,” Yamato agreed.  
  
“No worries, I’ll help you understand the story!”  
  
_That’s what worries me_, Yamato and Mitsuki both thought.  
  
“Let’s start from here!”  
  
“Isn’t that near the end?!” Mitsuki asked.  
  
“Yes, but it’s one of the best parts! The plunder of Sampo! You see, Louhi keeps Sampo in Pohjola so Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen, and Lemminkäinen go to retrieve it and end up in a battle at sea and…”  
  
“Hold on, Nagi,” Yamato interrupted. “We understood absolutely nothing of what you just said.”  
  
“Oh…” Nagi sighed. “I guess we should start from the beginning then. Alright, so the world is born from an egg and Väinämöinen…”  
  
Yamato and Mitsuki braced themselves for a long, long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish I could say that I've read Kalevala but to be honest, I've only read parts of it. It's a bit of a heavy read due to the Kalevala metre.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Banri and Tsumugi make an appearance! In a story that could've been very serious considering the prompts buuut I love silly ideas, so.

**24\. A story about decay and forgiveness / Favourite non-idol**  
  
“Banri-san, are you sure that’s not too much bread?”  
  
“Hmm?” Banri looked up from the dough. “Oh, I’m sure it’ll be alright. Quite a few fans will be participating in the meeting.”  
  
“If you say so…” Tsumugi hesitantly replied. The two of them were preparing Kinako-shaped bread for a fan meeting that would be held the next day. It was a first for IDOLiSH7, so Banri wanted to do something special.  
  
But still… he made a _lot_ of bread.  
  
Most of it disappeared during the meeting but unfortunately, a good pile was left over even though all participants – fans, idols,and staff – took a good chunk of it home with them.  
  
Banri looked at the already-decaying pile. He tried to hide the disappointment in his eyes, but Tsumugi could tell it was there.  
  
“Banri-san…”  
  
Banri blinked and looked at Tsumugi.  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“Are you alright? You look a bit… under the weather,” Tsumugi said in poorly masked worry.  
  
“Oh, it’s alright,” Banri weakly smiled. “I guess it was too much after all… Maybe I shouldn’t make it next time. I feel bad for the bread.”  
  
“But the bread was great! Everyone loved it!” Tsumugi exclaimed. “So if it’s a smaller batch, I’m sure it’ll be alright!”  
  
“Hmm…” Banri seemed to be lost in thought. “I suppose… Perhaps the bread will forgive me if I do better…”  
  
Tsumugi was slightly concerned by the comment but decided to let it slip. She could tell that Banri had barely slept for a few days now because of the bread so at this stage, his words probably weren’t all that strange. She made a mental note to keep a better eye on the amount next time while helping Banri dispose of the leftovers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Freezers do not exist in this story, apparently.
> 
> I haven't really thought about who my favourite non-idol is but my gut feeling says Banri. Banri is good.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "T" stands for "today" and "Tenn".

**25\. A story that ends opposite of how it begins / Seasons**  
  
It was still dark outside when Tenn stepped out of his door and headed for a jog. There wasn’t much to see beyond the light of the street lamps: a car here, a window there. An occasional passerby moving through the darkness. It was difficult to tell that spring had arrived.  
  
The sun was rising by the time Tenn reached a seaside street. Hues of orange coloured the calm water. In the distance, Tenn could see a ferry crossing over to a nearby island as he halted for a moment to appreciate the beautiful view. Birds were singing; they were celebrating the gentle summer breeze.  
  
Soon enough, the streets were bustling with people. But Tenn knew the area well, so he opted for a less crowded route. He passed by a shrine that looked particularly impressive dressed in autumn colours. When he arrived at his doorstep, the morning had become as bright as a day; perhaps tomorrow, he’d enjoy it from his window with a cup of hot chocolate.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nagi has a little adventure.

**26\. A story involving a deadly contest / Namja Town**  
  
“Come quick! If we don’t solve the final riddle in time, the evil overlord will kill the hostages! We have to save them!”  
  
“I’m on my way, Cocona! Count on me!”  
  
Nagi moved as fast as he could, cutting corners as he made his way to the last riddle. He could already see it in the distance – the mighty puzzle, the only thing standing between him and victory.  
  
“I’ll make it in time… I promise!!”  
  
As he approached, he was already solving the puzzle in his head. It was a tough one… but he got the hang of it soon enough. He was preparing to pull the right switch, when suddenly…  
  
“Oh no… We’re too late! The hostages, they’re…! We… we failed…”  
  
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”  
  
“Nagi, stop shouting!”  
  
Mitsuki shushed Nagi when he caught up with him, trying to catch his breath. It never ceased to surprise Mitsuki how fast Nagi could move when it came to Cocona.  
  
“You already solved the puzzle, right? So if you try once more, you’ll make it in time!”  
  
“And just so you know, you would’ve made it in time if you didn’t stop to listen to all the instructions again,” Yamato interjected as he reached the two of them. “You heard them on your first try as well, so you already know what Cocona will say.”  
  
“But I cannot ignore her words of wisdom! I must appreciate them to the fullest while I can!” Nagi replied with his usual dramatic flair.  
  
“Right…” Yamato sighed. “But if you don’t start paying less attention to the instructions and more attention to the riddles, you’ll end up falling short of the end over and over again. That won’t make Cocona happy, will it?”  
  
“No…”  
  
“Get yourself together, then, and help her finish her task.”  
  
“Don’t worry, we’re right beside you!” Mitsuki cheered. “Let’s go buy you one more shot at the game!”  
  
“Yes! Thank you, guys!” Nagi smiled.  
  
The three of them headed back to the site of the Cocona collaboration event to purchase one more game. Perhaps this time, Nagi would successfully help Cocona save the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've played a Bungou Stray Dogs collaboration game at Namja Town which is where the idea for this chapter came from. It was a detective game played with a cellphone and headphones which were given to each player. You'd listen to clues and walk around Namja Town solving them. We didn't get very far, unfortunately. One of the first clues involved a riddle in Japanese and while I understood what to do, the problem was that I didn't understand what the answer meant. And our pocket wi-fi was basically dead because the reception at Namja Town was so bad. The time frame for solving the whole thing was really short, though, so I'd imagine it would've been tough to beat it on the first try even without any language issues.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This time the boys are side characters.

**27\. A story told from a child’s perspective / Past ichiban kuji**  
  
“Mom, what’s that?”  
  
“That’s the big bad wolf, dear.”  
  
“Is he on a leash ‘cause he’s bad?”  
  
“That’s right.”  
  
A child was browsing a picture book with her mother. In it, there were characters from several fairy tales, portrayed by idols from several groups. They were currently exploring the Little Red Riding Hood section.  
  
“He doesn’t look very bad, though…”  
  
“Looks can be deceiving, dear. But you’re right… Perhaps this wolf is a bit different.”  
  
The child turned the page to reveal the Alice in Wonderland section.  
  
“It’s so colourful! I like it.”  
  
“They’re the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat. They’re having a tea party.”  
  
“What for?”  
  
“They just like parties.”  
  
“Really? So can we have a tea party as well tomorrow?!”  
  
The mother laughed. “Sure, let’s have a tea party.”  
  
“Yay!”  
  
“Let’s finish the book when we do. It’s time to go to bed now.”  
  
“Oh… Okay. Promise?”  
  
“Promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more of an "includes a child" than "from a child's perspective", but at least it's Märchen Dream.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starring Re:vale!

**28\. A story about something unseen / Black or White**  
  
It was truly a strange feeling to stand on the stage today. A few years ago, Yuki wouldn’t have believed it if he were told that in the foreseeable future, Re:vale would reign as the overall winners of Black or White. He couldn’t believe that their music had become so loved. He found himself at a loss for words.  
  
Momo couldn’t believe it, either. He had all the faith in the world in Yuki and his music, of course. But he hadn’t been all that sure that he could help Yuki reach such heights. That he wouldn’t be in the way. If you were to ask Yuki, though, he’d find Momo invaluable to Re:vale’s success – something he’d tell Momo when he most needed to hear it.  
  
When the two of them thought of their victory later, they realized they had very little memory of what had happened on stage after the announcement. All they’d been able to focus on was the incredible impact of the moment. The next thing they could properly remember was that they were back in their dressing room, hugging and laughing and crying all at the same time. Spewing incomprehensible words in an attempt to communicate how they felt.  
  
Words weren’t necessary, though. While the rest of the world couldn’t see below the surface, the two of them knew how the other felt without even looking. That was their strength.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nagi and Tamaki venture into...?

**29\. A story within a house where language cannot be spoken / Taiko no Tatsujin**  
  
It was an important day to Nagi: the newest opening of Cocona had been added to Taiko games in major game centers. He was determined to play it on the release day and had somehow managed to convince Tamaki to join him in his quest.  
  
Well, it wasn’t really a mystery – a new King Pudding plush toy had been added to one of the crane games at the center in question.  
  
They arrived early in the afternoon, right after they were done with the day’s photoshoot. Nagi was bursting with excitement as they entered the game center. But all of a sudden…  
  
“!! … ?”  
  
… he couldn’t put his joy into words.  
  
To be precise, it wasn’t that he couldn’t speak – but that the noise level at the center was so loud that Tamaki couldn’t even begin to hear him.  
  
“??”  
  
And Nagi couldn’t hear Tamaki, either.  
  
Nagi pointed at a Taiko no Tatsujin sign and the two of them started making their way to the game. Tamaki was distracted once he saw the brand new King Pudding; Nagi had to practically drag him along to remind him of their priority. Tamaki reluctantly followed suit.  
  
As they reached the rhythm game floor, Nagi was delighted to see that one of the Taiko games was currently unoccupied. He speeded past a group of high school students to ensure that no one would come between him and Cocona. He was shaking as they waited for the game to start.  
  
…  
  
......  
  
………  
  
And just like that, they’d played the song three times.  
  
Nagi wanted to continue playing but alas, a line had formed behind them – fortunately for Tamaki since they were now free to commence their pudding hunt. As they walked away, Nagi gestured that he would be back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be fair, game centers aren't _that_ loud even if the volume can be a bit, uh, high. Pachinko are way worse. Accidentally walked into one once and never went again. I think I had to shout to be heard...


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wonderland in the Dark is a go!

**30\. A story in which three things happen in rapid succession / Wonderland**  
  
It only takes an instant for things to take an unexpected turn.  
  
The 8 of Clubs was chasing the March Hare around the garden – something about stealing royal carrots. They took one particularly sharp turn which led the 8 of Clubs to run into the ladder used by the gardener, the 10 of Spades, as he was trimming the rare black roses found in the royal garden. The impact caused the 10 of Spades to accidentally cut two of the black roses as he fell down to the ground. Right after this, the Black King suddenly appeared, accompanied by the 9 of Diamonds.  
  
The king stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed the misfortune that had befallen his beautiful flowers. Neither the 10 of Spades or the 8 of Clubs dared to move. After all, the king was known for his unpredictability: he might forgive the offense as if nothing had happened, or he might try to take their heads. In-betweens were nigh unheard of.  
  
Just as the two of them were starting to have a very bad feeling of the situation, the 9 of Diamonds spoke up.  
  
“There seems to have been a little accident, Your Majesty. But not to worry – I hear that the gardener is quite skilled at his work. I’m sure that the damage will be undone in no time.”  
  
The king’s stern expression didn’t falter, but the dangerous glint in his eyes seemed to pass.  
  
“Yes… I’m sure it will.”  
  
The 10 of Spades and the 8 of Clubs let out a silent, relieved sigh as the king and the courtier passed them by to continue their walk in the garden. After the 10 of Spades had the 8 of Clubs swear that he would never again cause such an incident again, the two of them quickly started cleaning up the scene. They wouldn’t want the king to remember what had happened.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the month rightfully comes to a close with my favourite boy!

**31\. A story about returning to a home that has changed / Halloween**  
  
The day was on the chilly side as Tenn made his way through the streets. They were streets he knew well, but it had certainly been… a long time since he had last walked them.  
  
He had to admit that he hadn’t expected Halloween of all occasions to be the day he’d set foot in his old home.  
  
Back when they were children, Riku had been quite sad that they couldn’t have a proper Halloween party – it looked like a lot of fun on TV. Once their parents had heard that Riku and his friends were throwing a big party this year, they had invited them to have the celebration at their house. Tenn hadn’t planned on going at first, but thinking back to their childhood… he wanted the party to be perfect for Riku, and he knew Riku wanted him there.  
  
Tenn took a deep breath as he turned the final corner. What should he say? How do you greet your parents after years and years of distance? How do you visit a home that isn’t your home anymore?  
  
Tenn reached the door all too soon. He pushed all those pesky thoughts aside – they weren’t welcome to disrupt the festive mood of the day. He knocked on the door and a few seconds later, it opened. And before Tenn knew it, words he hadn’t meant to say escaped his lips from a faraway memory.  
  
“I’m home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand writober's done! I'm positively surprised that I ended up with a whole month's worth of chapters.
> 
> One more shoutout to [DaMidnighter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaMidnighter/) for her ideas and corrections! And to everyone who's been reading these, thank you! Hope you had fun!


End file.
